For purposes of illustrating the invention the connector assembly will be discussed in terms of a connector used in a foamed-in-place insulated wall or door of an appliance. It is to be understood that the panel mounted connector assembly may be used in other equipment and with or without foam insulation.
Appliances such as freezers, refrigerators and the like use foamed-in-place insulation between an inner liner and the outer wall and door panels. To provide electrical power to an electrical apparatus within the refrigerator cabinet a wiring harness is run between the liner and outer panel. Typically one end of each of the wires is terminated to a respective electrical terminal of a connector mounted to the liner and the other end of the wire is terminated to a connector mounted to an outside wall. One example of a wiring harness used in refrigeration with a foamed-in-place insulation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,196. The electrical connector disclosed therein and similar suitable connectors for use in such an environment typically include one or more seals in the assembly to prevent entrance of the foam generating liquid or the expanding foam into the terminal passageways and the mating area of the connector. The seals are often molded from material that generally is more elastomeric than the material used for the housing. Each wire needs to be inserted through a respective seal. It is desirable and more cost effective, however, to have a connector that is molded from only one material, requires a minimum number of parts, manufacturing processes and assembly steps.
Another method used to block the passageways in the connector includes an overmolded portion formed around the end of the connector after the terminated wires have been inserted into the connector housing. This method also requires additional molding and manufacturing processes.